More than two-thirds of Britons are uncomfortable with advertising and media companies tracking their internet browsing and social media habits, a recent YouGov study shows.
This view was expressed across the board, with more than half of respondents in 15 of the 17 surveyed regions feeling equally unsettled. Alongside Great Britain’s 72%, Spain and the US also sit at the top, both with 69% of respondents expressing discomfort with this idea.
Over the last month, YouGov surveyed just under 19,119 people across various regions (Great Britain, Continental Europe, Asia, UAE and the US) to understand the public's feelings towards tailed ads through tracking online activity, as well as the types of messaging needed to attract engagement.
There are a handful of respondents in certain regions that appear to not have an issue with this concept. Accordingly, in India more than half (55%) of respondents are comfortable with ad and media companies tracking their online usage, with 18% “very comfortable”.
The UAE and China are in similar positions with 50% and 49% respectively.
Out of the total sample, 61% would rather not have third parties tracking their habits even if it means future ads are not tailored to their likes and interests. However, 32% felt differently.
Survey participants were also asked what types of messaging would be most likely to get them to fully engage with an ad.
While some agree that they are likely to fully engage if the ad focuses on the benefits of the product, more would prefer to be entertained, such as with humour.
Forty-five per cent of Britons agree on this point, as well as more than a third of respondents in all 17 regions.
For Indonesia, 62% of respondents want to be entertained, followed by China and Hong Kong with 60% and 57% respectively.
On the other side of the spectrum, viewers are less likely to interact with advertising that conveys important messaging, such as issues that affect certain groups, such as racism or homophobia, or ads that talk about global issues, such as the environment and sustainability.
Only 20% of surveyed Britons are likely to fully engage with ads that talk about global issues, and even fewer (12%) when messaging conveys issues that affect certain groups of people.
Respondents in Mexico and India, however, are a lot more forthcoming when it comes to engaging with this type of messaging in ads. Half of the respondents in both countries agree that they would fully engage with an ad that talks about issues affecting certain groups of people.
As for ads that convey messaging about global issues, 32% of respondents in India are likely to fully interact; Mexico and the UAE are just behind with 28%.
Out of the total surveyed cohort, 45% of respondents would fully engage with an ad if it entertains and humours them; followed by 31% if ads talk about global issues. But only 18% would fully engage with ads that talk about issues affecting certain groups of people.
.jpg)
.jpeg)
